Regional Group herd competition results!

The Mid West Breeders' Group, the Northern Breeders' Group and the Midland Breeders' Group all held their awards lunches recently and the results of the herd competitions for each group were announced.

Annual census

As usual the Society is conducting it's annual census via the online Herdbook. This is your opportunity to 'tidy up' your online records with the Society and record any deaths, births or movements that haven't been notified to the Society during the year.
The Society has to maintain an accurate database as part of it's objects and we have to report animal numbers to DEFRA and APHA on a regular basis so having accurate information to give to the statutory bodies is vital. If you don't have your log-in details or you would prefer a paper copy please let me know.https://www.longhorncattlesociety.com/herd-book/

Longhorns on TV!

Set in the beautiful, haunting countryside of Fermanagh in the North of
Ireland in 1885, Death and Nightingales is a riveting story of love,
betrayal, deception and revenge.

More important than that though, it features Colne Valley Have-A-Go, bred by Tim & Sophie Gurton and now owned by Kenny and Jennifer Gracey in Co Armagh who alongside their farm shop have a business providing 'animal extras' for films and TV series.

Kenny isn't sure when Have-A-Go will feature, but as there are only two more episodes to run it'll either be this Wednesday 5 December or next Wednesday 12 December. Apparently the bull was as good as gold on set and stole the hearts of all the actors!

More Longhorn success!

Continuing their run of success at the Winter Primestock Shows, the
Saxby family from Litton near Buxton, Derbyshire, took 1st and 2nd place
in the Native section of the Bakewell Market fatstock show & sale
this week. They had entered two steers, homebred Litton Rex, born
August 2017 and weighing 544kg and a Raincliffe steer bred by John
Backhouse from Scarborough who was June 2017 born and weighed 548kg.
Both sold for £2.60/kg.
In the sheep pens the Saxby's had the Champion pen of lambs, selling for 500p/kg or £226/head. Not a bad day at the office!

Great turnout at the English Winter Fair!

There
was a great turnout of Longhorns at the English Winter Fair at the
Staffordshire Showground at the weekend. Many congratulations to the
Saxby family who took first place in the Longhorn class with the
homebred steer Litton Ragtime, born January 2017 and weighing 595kg. He
was bought by Ben Stanley for his farm shop for £2.72p per kilo. Tom
Mills and Eileen Hallifield also had cattle there, meaning the Longhorns
had their own class.

Bertie Facon's calf Gentons Sara was second in the AOB calf class.

The overall Supreme Champion, Messrs A Dickinson & L Powdrill's
British Blue x heifer born in June 2017, has a Longhorn grand-dam, so we
can bask in the reflected glory of that little fact!

Longhorns at Worcester Market 17 November

The catalogue for this Saturday's store cattle at McCartneys, Worcester is now available. It includes an entry of Longhorns cows & calves, feeding bulls and heifers from David Howden, Cornbury Park, Oxon.

Longhorns triumph at Thirsk!

Many congratulations to Harry, Clark and Billy Blockley and Zara Monks
who showed 2017 and 2018 born Southfield cattle belonging to David and
Angela Blockley at last weekend's Thirsk calf show.

Southfield Swift
took the Native Interbreed Championship with Southfield Sapphire taking
the Reserve Native Interbreed slot against some very stiff competition.
The bull Southfield Raptor was 2017 born Male & Reserve Native
Champion. A great day out. Well done!

Huntsham Court Farm video

Richard Vaughan from Huntsham Court Farm has produced a video about his Middle
White pork and Longhorn beef. He talks about the Longhorn breed and
his ethos behind producing top quality beef for very discerning
customers, including many Michelin starred chefs.

Longhorn members feature on German TV

Longhorn members Ludger and Elisabeth Bremehr have a diverse farm in Verl, Germany. Alongside the Longhorns they breed sheep,exotic animals such as reindeer, alpaca and specialise in waterfowl. They also have a farm shop selling Longhorn beef.

A German production company have made a television programme about the farm - even if your German is a bit rusty it's interesting to see the cattle and other enterprises.

New Friday Feature coming soon!

Look out for our new regular 'Longhorn Lovers Friday Feature' coming
soon. Each week we will profile a different member of the Longhorn
Cattle Society and they will explain in their own words why they keep
Longhorns. Every member is unique and they keep Longhorns for lots of
different reasons so each week's profile will show the versatility of
this fabulous breed.

Newcomers and Young Handlers Awards

Each year the Society presents a number of awards at the AGM, including
one for Junior Handlers and one for the best newcomer to showing.
This year Rhianydd Davies won the Best Junior Handler Award and Clark
and Billy Blockley won the Best Newcomer Award. A great result for the
young members of the Society!
Rhianydd collected her award, donated
to the Society by Frank Sutton, from current Society President Sarah
Coleman, and Clark collected the Newcomers Award from Nicky Luckett.
Nicky instigated the Paul Luckett Newcomers Award in memory of her late
husband.
Congratulations Rhianydd, Clark and Billy!

AGM blog post

Photo competition winners announced!

Many congratulations to the members who took the honour in this year's photo competition. We had a huge numbers of entries which were judged by members attending the AGM weekend. Members could vote for their top three photos in six categories.

Congratulations to the Gentons herd!

Many congratulations to Bertie Facon and Ben Bellew of the Gentons herd
for their clean sweep in the Bull of the Year, Cow of the Year and
Heifer of the Year Awards that were presented at the AGM. Bull of the
Year was Riverlands Ratty bred by Richard and Vicki Burton, Cow of the
Year was Gorse Quesnelia bred by John and Joshua Brigg and Heifer of the
Year was the homebred Gentons Qasim. The awards are based on the
number of points gained at shows during the season

Garstang Show results

Virtual dispersal of the Gorse herd - catalogue available

The 'Gorse' herd of pedigree Longhorns - the oldest privately owned herd in
the country - will be almost completely dispersed next Saturday 18 August 2018,
removed to Worcester Market for the convenience of sale. Approximately 50
head will be offered for sale.

There is a requirement by the Brigg family to reduce the herd as Joshua has had major surgery to replace damaged vertebrae in his neck which will mean a
long recuperation.

Click here for more information on the Society's type classification scheme. Please contact the office if you are interested in having your herd type classified. Any of the breeders listed would be happy to talk through the process with you.

Herd visit reports.

The Midland Group recently visited the Saxby family's Litton herd, Buxton, Derbyshire. Click here for the report and photos.

The Society's Summer visit was to the Woollatt family's Gupworthy herd, Chepstow.Click here for the report and photos

The Mid West Group visit is to the Goodman family's Witley herd, near Worcester on Saturday 14 July. Click here for the blog report

The Society's thanks go to all the members who have given up their time to host visits so far this year, and to all those who have been to see some fabulous cattle coping well with our prolonged hot spell.

Store cattle sold at Worcester

Ian Snape from the Astwood herd sold a number of store cattle at
Worcester on Saturday 11 June, getting top price in the market for a
heifer, against both native and continental crosses.
The cattle
were fed and well presented and showed that an investment in feed and
good management paid dividends when it came to sale time!

AHDB beef production and marketing events

AHDB Beef and Lamb organise practical events to help farmers with the production and marketing of their livestock. There is always something to learn from practical events such as these.

An event in Burton on Trent on 18 June focuses on hitting market spec and using performance data.

An event in Warwickshire on 2 July focuses on marketing prime beef cattle including production, knowing your
market, selection for slaughter and hitting market specification. There will
also be a butchery demo looking at new ways of butchering beef in order to meet
changing consumer demands.

New photos in the Gallery!

NBA Beef Expo

Beef Expo 2018 organised by the National Beef Association was held on Thursday 24 May and Friday 25 May 2018. The Expo event was at Hall's Shrewsbury Livestock Auction Centre, while the farm tours were held in the surrounding area.

The event on Friday provided the ideal forum for producers to learn all about products and technical developments in the beef industry. The overarching theme of the event was efficient and profitable beef farming

The Society had a stand at the event and two 27 month steers, weighing an
average of 720kg were provided by Mike & Yvonne Smith of the Hennisfield herd.

Matt Cullen hosts the Kent Herdsman's Club

Matt Cullen of the Kent herd won the Kent Herdsman's Club Beef Farmer of the Year Award in 2017 and hosted a visit of the Club to see his Longhorns in May 2018. Here are a few photos from the visit showing some of the herd, along with the new shed that is being erected for the Longhorns.

Bill Lupton

The Society has been informed of the death of Bill Lupton aged 80. He and his wife Helen had the Lupat herd of Longhorns in the 1980's and 1990's and were very successful in the showring during those years. Due to ill health, in 1997 the entire Lupat herd was sold to David and Angela Blockley as the Luptons did not want the herd split up on it's dispersal. The Luptons were from Ripon, North Yorkshire and donated the Econ salver for the Champion Longhorn at the Great Yorkshire show, named after the company they ran building road gritters.

Mike Tisdale adds that he was also a philanthropist, donating a piece of equipment for cancer research at Aston University, Birmingham.

A private burial will take place, and there will be a memorial service at St Johns Church, Sharow, Ripon, HG4 5BJ on 16th March at 1pm.

Recent sale results

The consigment of store steers and heifers aged 10 - 24 months at Worcester Market on 10 February 2017 sold to 231ppk which was the best pence per kilo price of the day. The steers were dehorned and all the cattle had been fed, demonstrating the cost effectiveness of feeding Longhorn finishing stock.

The Little Greave Herd - short notice dispersal

Due to bereavement the Little Greave Herd of Longhorns is being dispersed at Holmfirth Auction Mart, Riverside, Woodhead Road, Holmfirth, HD9 2PR on Tuesday 13 February 2018.

Included
in the sale will be the pedigree registered bull Blackbrook Vanguard
along with registered and pure bred cows, registered and purebred served
heifers and registered and purebred maiden heifers along with a number
of steers.

All in calf females will be PD'd prior to sale.

Click here for the Holmfirth Auction Mart website where further details will be posted